Reveille
by L Moonshade
Summary: Kate's been waiting for this; the return of Ari Haswari. One-shot. Sequel to Aftermath.


Disclaimer: I only own Kate. I'm just borrowing someone else's toys for a while.

A/N: I'm back! Hopefully to stay for a while, RL allowing. And please, check out the poll on my profile.

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><p>Tony looked up as someone came into the bar. She was gorgeous, tall and shapely with sun-bleached blonde hair and I recognized her. Hell I'd been watching for her, knowing it was getting close to time for Ari to make his next move.<p>

"There she is," Tony said, standing.

Ducky frowned. "Who?"

"The love of my life."

I put a hand on Tony's arm, hoping to stop him. No such luck, but I could warn him. "Hey, just be careful, huh? I've got a bad feeling about her."

He studied me for a moment then gave me a killer smile. "Promise," he said in the tone he always used when he was brushing someone off. But he put his other hand on mine and gave a quick squeeze.

"Good Lord," Ducky said as he watched Tony walked over to the blonde's table. "I think he actually took you seriously."

"He's figured it out. Sometimes, I just know what's going on."

Ducky eyed me with a sharp look. "Yes, just like you knew who I was the first time you walked into my morgue. You stopped yourself from calling me Ducky, but not quite quickly enough. Jethro and I both noticed."

I smiled. "I never thought otherwise. I have a stop to make before I head back so I'm going to leave. I'll see you back at NCIS."

"Indeed," he said, watching, as Tony left with the blonde. "And Anthony has left us with the check. Again. No, no," he told me when I reached for my wallet. "You ordered nothing, I wouldn't dream of letting you pay."

"And I'm never going to eat. It's the least I can do for my friends." I could see that he was determined and sighed. "Okay, fine. I'll see you back at work." I headed towards the door, glancing back at the bar. "Joe, put lunch on my tab," I called.

"Sure thing, Lady," he called back with a wave.

As I left I looked back at the table to see Ducky shaking his head, a fond smile on his face.

I looked for the motorcycle, even though I doubted I'd see it; I somehow thought Ari had a better read on me than that and I was right. Because it was daylight, I couldn't identify him by smell, but I knew who it was that took my arm. Even before he put his lips to my ear and said, "Hello, Caitlin. Did you miss me?"

"No." I let him guide me where he wanted me to go. "Going for the direct approach, Ari? That's not like you."

"If only I had the time, but tricking you would not be easy, I think. Besides, you're a reasonable woman." He led me to to a car that held three men, two in back and one in front. "For instance, if I tell you to get in and try nothing or I'll shoot the little girl standing in the doorway, then you'll behave. Won't you?"

I glanced to see if there was a girl in the doorway. There was. "You know I will." And I would, because I knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

He chuckled and reached around me to open the door, pressing his body close. It did nothing but make me feel cold and dirty.

Once the door was shut behind me we pulled away, leaving Ari on the curb. One of the men behind me reached forward and opened my jacket to take my sidearm and the other cuffed my hands behind me. After that, there was no interaction until my phone rang.

"Simi," the driver said, glancing to the back seat. The guy behind me reached around the seat, ostensibly for my phone but he copped a feel.

"It's on the left side on my belt," I growled.

He finally grabbed the phone instead of me and handed it to the driver who looked at the display. "Who's Gibbs?"

"My husband. He calls me when he gets out of the office."

"Where does he work?"

"Iraq."

The driver lashed out and backhanded me with a fist. I didn't make a sound, something he didn't seem to like. He didn't hit me again, though.

Not until my phone rang again. "Who is Dr Addison?"

Score one for putting people in by name and not relationship. "My gynecologist."

This time the hit was hard enough to draw blood. Thankfully, I'd fed recently enough that I actually bled. "If you don't like the answers, why bother asking?"

I got another backhand for that, but that was the last one.

After almost an hour (taking twists and turns we didn't have to, I was sure), we were pulling into a barn. Ari had beaten us there and opened my door to help me out. _"Who hit her?"_ he asked in Arabic.

_"She was insolent,"_ the driver answered.

"I apologize for Bassam's actions," Ari told me.

I couldn't help but get a jab in on Gerald's behalf. "At least he didn't blow my shoulder out."

"_Bassam, undo her cuffs_," he told the driver. Then to me, "How is Gerald?"

"Still in rehab. He asks everyday if you're dead yet." The minute my cuffs were off I turned and punched Bassam. Not that I really cared, but it was expected.

Bassam lunged at me shouting insults but Ari stepped between us and held him back. A sharp word and Bassam stepped back, calm but glaring daggers at me.

"Satisfied?" Ari asked me.

"No, he smacked me three times. And don't tell me being hit by a woman is twice the insult for him. I don't think either one of us believes it."

He watched me with the hint of a smile then looked up at Simi. _"Why did Bassam strike her?"_

_"She would not tell him who was calling her cell."_

Ari looked as if all had been explained. "Oh, Gibbs called you."

"Yes, and I'd better call him back, tell him where I am."

"Of course." He lifted my chin to look at my lip. "But first some ice for your lip. Then you may call him."

_"That wasn't the only call she received,"_ Simi told Ari. _"She claimed he was her doctor, but Bassam didn't believe her."_

Ari glanced at me, curious, then went through my call history. "Ah, the good Doctor David Addison. Perhaps I should pay him a visit. Come."

I said nothing as I followed him into the farmhouse. He held the door for me, watching me walk past.

"You are an interesting woman, Caitlin. You hit Bassam for his insult to you, yet you say nothing when I imply a threat to your husband."

"What do you expect, for me to shout, 'Don't you dare,' or threaten that if you come anywhere near him, I'll shoot you? The first won't intimidate you and I'm going to do the second anyway so what's the point?"

"Caitlin, Caitlin," he sighed. "So much hostility towards me."

I scoffed. "Do you really expect anything else? Let me call Gibbs."

He found a baggie and put some ice in it. "On one condition."

I rolled my eyes. "Imagine my shock. And what do you want me to say?"

He wrapped the ice in a towel and pressed it to my lip. "You became quite ill after lunch and went to emergency, where it was diagnosed as food poisoning. They pumped out your stomach, gave you an IV and sent you home. You'll be fine tomorrow. You just need some sleep."

I snatched the ice out of his hand and held it myself. "And if I don't say that?"

"Marta. Tell our guest how you plan to entertain Agent DiNozzo tonight."

The blonde woman from earlier stepped into the room, stroking a gun. "I will put a bullet in the back of his head as I run my fingers through his hair."

It was easy to sell the story. I was the consummate liar, after all, and I didn't have to worry about getting a veiled message across. Gibbs knew as well as Ducky that I didn't eat.

Twenty minutes later Ari, Marta and I were sitting at a picnic table with a bottle of wine and two glasses. I'd declined, of course, much to Ari's disappointment. "It's a very nice Chardonnay, Caitlin, and almost perfectly chilled. I wish you'd taste it."

"Sorry, I never drink." I almost gave the entire quote like I normally did, but I had the feeling that Ari would pick up on it. "Let Marta taste it."

Ari smirked. "This doesn't have to be so bad, Caitlin," he said. "Perhaps if you thought of this as a weekend house party, with you as the honored guest."

"And you're the charming host? I don't think so." I hardly looked from Ari's face, but I noticed the missles being loaded onto a trailer.

"Oh, many women find me charming."

Of that I had no doubt. If I'd met him in other circumstances, I'm sure I would have, as well. "You must pay them well."

Marta laughed. The phone next to Ari rang and he picked it up. I could hear the other end, barely but enough to know what was being said. _"We are leaving. Do you know?"_

_"I will call you,"_ Ari answered.

"Why am I here, Ari?"

Ari arranged three shells on the table and held up a pea before putting it under one of the shells then shuffling them. "Tell me where the pea is, Caitlin, and I will answer your question."

He'd moved slowly enough that it wasn't difficult and I tapped one of the shells.

"Lucky guess," Marta said.

Ari gave a pleased little smile. "Was it, Caitlin?"

"No."

He shuffled the shells again. "Once more to satisfy Marta that it wasn't luck."

He moved more quickly, but it still wasn't too difficult for me to pick out the right one.

"I told you, Marta," Ari said. "Do you detect slight differences in the shells?"

I ignored his question. "Why am I here?"

He shuffled the shells again. "To teach me this trick. I am quite serious." I tapped the one with the pea under it and he lifted it, letting the pea roll off the table. "Amazing. How did they teach you to be so observant?"

"Who?"

"The Secret Service."

And now I had a choice to make. Ari knew damn well I'd never been with the Service, but Marta didn't. Did I let her in on the secret? I quickly decided not to bother. Time enough to talk to Ari alone after he killed her. "The President is flying to Camp David with Sharon today. I saw the missiles; you want to know which helo is Marine One to shoot it down." No, he didn't, but that was the conclusion I'd come to if I didn't know better.

He gave me an indulgent smile. "Those tiny missiles are mere training aids. In any case, I have no intention of shooting down Marine One."

"Lying bastard."

Marta laughed, falling silent when Ari glared at her. "Sorry."

"Unfortunately, half of that is true," Ari said.

"Whatever you say. Well, there's no way to tell them apart, not that I'd tell you if there were."

"Even if it meant your life?" Marta asked.

I turned to look at her. "Are you willing to die for what you believe?"

"We Hamas prove that every day."

I drew my lip back in a snarl. "No. Your children do."

Marta made a move to hit me but Ari held out his hand. "Marta, give me her gun."

"We are wasting time."

Ari waggled his fingers. "The gun, Marta, please. If killing is to be done, I will do it." He took the gun and turned to me. "I believe you, Caitlin, relax. Have a glass of wine," he encouraged me again. Then he pointed the gun at Marta. "I don't like to drink alone

"Haswari, what…?"

He gave her one of his charming smiles. "Caitlin is telling the truth. There is no way to identify Marine One from the others."

"You told me there was."

"I lied," he said then shot Marta in the head. "Women should never get involved in politics. It's a waste of beauty."

"Only when there's no brains to go with said beauty. You still haven't told me why I'm here."

"You are here so you can call your friends; NCIS or FBI, I don't care. I will tell them all they need to know." He offered me his phone. "Take it. My Hamas are well trained. Without the information they need, they won't kill or capture your President or mine."

I took the phone and made my call. Ari spoke at length to the agent including where to find me before hanging up.

"Why me, Ari? It's not because I was the easiest to nab; you could have had Marta take Tony easily enough."

"I will tell you, if you answer one question for me."

I snorted. "_Quid pro quo_, is it?"

"Why do you call me Ari?"

I gave him a predatory smile. "Because you don't like it."

"Does that mean Gibbs knows my name?"

I clucked my tongue. "That's two questions."

He gave a wry smile. "As for why you, don't you know?"

I knew, alright. "You think you can make me crawl for you."

He leaned forward, a smile playing on his lips. "I was close the last time we met. If I'd had more time, I could have had you." When I shook my head, his smile widened just a bit. "Are you really going to try to deny that, Caitlin?"

"I will admit that you were enticing. You weren't safe."

"And your husband is. I've seen him, Caitlin, he's weak; soft hands, rich clothes. What has changed that you think you don't need someone like me?"

Methos weak and soft? That was a laugh. "What changed? He stopped being safe."

Ari looked doubtful, but that was fine. "As much as I would love to continue this conversation, we will have to do so some other time. I must go before your friends arrive." He rested a hand on my gun. "If I leave you your weapon, will you try to stop me?"

"No." I wanted to, oh did I want to, but that would only get me in one hell of a lot of trouble since as far as the Bureau knew, Ari was working for Mossad. And then, taking another look at him, I realized he was. Watching the show, I'd thought he'd always been on the other side. Now, though, I thought he really was with Mossad. But it wouldn't give him what he needed forever and, within a year, he would switch sides.

"Thank you," he said and turned to go.

"Ari."

He looked at me over his shoulder. "Yes, Caitlin?"

"The next time we stand face-to-face, I'm going to put a bullet in your head."

He grinned. "There's the Caitlin I know and love," he said then disappeared into the barn. A moment later a motorcycle screamed out and raced to the street. I could only hope that he met the boss on drive, but I knew that was unlikely and, even if he did, the Bureau would spring him. I put my gun in its holster then stretched out on the bench to wait.

Forty-five minutes later, a car raced onto the farm, fishtailing in a way that could only mean Gibbs was at the wheel. He pulled to a stop and roared out of the car.

"Kate! Are you okay?"

I was standing by the time he reached me. "I'm fine."

He put his hands on my shoulders. "He didn't get to you?"

"Well, I may have to have a long session with David…"

He slapped me in the back of the head. "Too much information, Todd." He took a step towards the car then glanced back at me. "You're okay, Caitlin?"

I smiled, grateful for his concern. "I promise, Jethro, I'm fine."

He nodded, looking relieved. Then he gave me a glare. "Then what the hell are you waiting for?"

"Coming, Boss," I said, following. Even if I hadn't seen the show, I would have known what was going to happen. Gibbs was going to bitch slap Ari and shoot him in the shoulder. And what I wouldn't give to be a fly on that wall.


End file.
